QSR1874/3/5/5

Depositions and examination - Mary Adams of Flitwick, charged with stealing one pair of women's boots at Ampthill on 6 June 1874 from William Walker

18 June 1874

From: 1874 To: 1874

William Walker of Ampthill, shoemaker – at 8.30pm on 6 June Mary Adams came to his shop by herself. She asked to look at some children’s slippers and wished to know the price. She then wanted some women’s slippers. He showed her some and told her the price. Then she wanted to see some girl’s boots. He had none. He showed her some boots with side springs and told her the price. She wanted some a size larger. A woman came into the shop. Adams said she would see about it and went out. When the woman had left Adams came in again and said she wanted to know the price of some boy’s shoes. He showed her some. Then she wanted to see some men’s leggings. He fetched 2 pairs hanging in the window. She said there was a pair at the further corner of the window she thought would do. When he went to get them he saw her take a pair of boots off the counter and look at them. He had to cut the leggings apart and they fell among the boots in the window. When he got the leggings he saw Adams covering something under her jacket. She went to the door and called out “Lizzie, stop a minute”. He told her the price of the leggings. She looked at them and went out. She never bought anything. When she had gone he missed a pair of women’s boots, the one’s he had shown to her, value 6s 6d. The same night he saw the same boots with PC Crick. [Cross-examined] He did not ask the prisoner’s name, but asked where she came from. She said Flitwick. He never asked her if her father was alive. He did not know her then. She said her mother had bought slippers at his shop and that she wanted the shoes for her sister at home. She did not say she was ill. He was not sure she had got anything or not when he saw her put something under her jacket. John Crick, police constable stationed at Ampthill – Walker told him he had lost a pair of boots from his shop and described a young woman to him. He went in search of her and found her in a butcher’s shop at Ampthill. He asked her if she had any boots. She did not speak. He lifted her jacket and saw the boots produced. She said she did not steal them. He took possession of the boots, took her into custody and charged her with stealing them. She said she took them out of the shop to see if they would fit her sister. Mary Adams – she went into the shop and asked how much the boots were. He said 6s 6d. She asked if she might take them to fit her sister who was ill. He said she might. He asked her name and she told him. He asked if she had a father. She said no. She did not ask for any boy’s boots at all. She asked the price of one pair of slippers. She told the police when he asked for the boots. She only said “yes”. She was quite frightened when the policeman came after her. [Annotated: “The prisoner Mary Adams who is of the age of 12 years or thereabouts objected to being summarily dealt with under the Juvenile Offenders Acts by the advice of her parent and also of the attorney engaged”.]

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Adams, Mary,
Walker, William,
Crick, John

FLITWICK, AMPTHILL, stealing, boots, shoemaker, police constable